In the area, backyard chickens keep coming up. I keep hearing the various city councils' reasons for denying them: they will bring predators, they smell, people can buy eggs, etc. I just wanted to address a few issues.

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By Special to the RRStar

Rockford Register Star

By Special to the RRStar

Posted Jan. 13, 2014 at 12:15 PM

By Special to the RRStar

Posted Jan. 13, 2014 at 12:15 PM

In the area, backyard chickens keep coming up. I keep hearing the various city councils' reasons for denying them: they will bring predators, they smell, people can buy eggs, etc. I just wanted to address a few issues.

Predators: I have seen fox, hawks, eagles, opossum, skunks and raccoons in my neighborhood. I can hear the coyotes at night. What predators are they going to attract that aren't already here?

Smell: If you have a dog kennel, do you smell it? Do you clean it out? If you don't, a code enforcement officer is at your door, because a neighbor complained. Why can't it be the same for chickens? Large factory farms smell. We are talking about four to five chickens who, yearly, produce the same amount of waste as one medium dog.

Buy organic eggs at $4-$6 per dozen? Organic means they are fed organic food. Are they healthy and humanely raised? I want my children to know where food comes from and how we can efficiently and humanely supply our own food.

These are just some of the issues that are coming up. I encourage our neighbors/elected officials to keep an open mind and do their own research before automatically saying no.